


An Owl for owl Seasons.

by 8unicorns



Category: Duolingo - Fandom, The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crack, Domestic, Duoty, Firsts, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Humor, I Don't Even Know, I spent way too much time on this, M/M, Read and make my suffering worth it maybe, Romance, Time Travel, according to my calculations this is the longest Duoty fic out there, first romance, relationship, the hiatus is making me go crazy, there is literally a 600 word gag in this fic, this is a real serious fanfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:20:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26352562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8unicorns/pseuds/8unicorns
Summary: Duo is on a mission. having both warped from another dimensionandtimetraveled to the past Duo is on the boiling isles to teach the inhabitants languages. can he afford to get sidetracked? or will that sidetrack end up getting him on track?Hooty has been scaring and pranking those foolish enough to stray from their flock for Eons. (why? because he gets a HOOT out of it :p) can a strange owl from another land and time perhaps become the first member in Hooty's parliment? (yes that's what a group of owls are called. look it up)Rates t because I used a bad word one timeExcerpt:Duo ignored a sign threatening the use of “deadly force and other bad things”, and headed straight over the fence in the southern Nevada Desert. From what Duo could tell it was an American military base. Child’s play.
Relationships: Hooty/Duo, Hooty/Duolingo Owl
Comments: 12
Kudos: 12





	1. Duo's Darkest Owl.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! please enjoy this very serious Duoty fanfiction! please note there is no Hooty in chapter one. I have chapter two written but it needs to be edited (and possibly reworked i honestly think the romance is a little stale) so if you want to hold off until there's actually Duoty content please do. This chapter follows Duo and Duo alone. for those of you who don't know Duo is the owl on the popular language education site Duolingo. Dana had said that Duo and Hooty were once enemies. I believe this to be fake news and Belos-regime sponsored propaganda.  
> CW: this chapter contains a 600 word gag, the stupidity of which may cause you to lose brain cells.  
> Note on language: i used a variety of online translators to get the translations for this chapter. I couldn't find any translators for the language Guarani and i make a note of that when that happens. I do not know why there is no translator for Guarani as it is NOT the most obscure language in this chapter. I suspect it has to do with racism.

Duo didn’t know how he got here. His little wings could carry him great distances, but this was a place unlike he had ever seen or heard about in any. Even using his vast vocabulary, his dozens of languages, Duo could hardly describe his surroundings. In english some choice words were bizarre and Demonic.

Duo had little choice in the matter however, if someone wanted, or needed, to learn a language, the Devil himself couldn’t stop Duo from helping. After building an app to do everything for him and reach so many people, folks needed him less and less. It was sad for the bird, as he enjoyed the one-to-one interaction that teaching a student a language entailed.

Duo had been flying for eighty hours. From his home in Pittsburgh Duo had been flying southwest for almost three days straight. When his Language teaching sense started going haywire Duo knew he was needed somewhere urgently. He knew he was getting close to the place where those that needed teaching about languages languished. Duo hadn’t felt this way since he first started his career. The urge was as strong now as it had been on the day of his birth. Duo knew he could not sleep if he tried. Not that he needed sleep, it was just nice to have sometimes.

Duo was only nine years old but he had already taught 300 million people something. A normal owl would rest after such a successful career. Duo was no normal owl. Most owls grow and change throughout their life, not Duo. Duo had shed a couple of baby feathers and changed outfits a couple of times since he’d popped into existence but Duo hadn’t grown at all, no new feathers no new body shape no new nothing. Duo was content that way.

It had been eighty hours and for the first time in Duo’s life his wings began to hurt. Glad he was fast approaching his destination he was pleased to see that after miles and miles of desert the source of the minds in need of language instruction seemed to be an air conditioned facility. 

Duo ignored a sign threatening the use of “deadly force and other bad things”, and headed straight over the fence in the southern Nevada Desert. From what Duo could tell it was an American military base. Child’s play. Duo rested briefly on the roof of the facility. Duo cleared his mind and allowed his innate senses to guide his next moves. It was night-time so it wasn’t likely the base was open for tourists, but Duo could waste no time.

Duo located the building crying for linguistic help and allowed the fingerprint reader to scan his claw. Duo had gained the highest level of security clearance some years ago and he was pleased to see that it still worked. Duo flew on down the hallway before encountering a thick steel wall. Literally. That too was of no concern to Duo as he simply destroyed the door using a trick he picked up when learning Klingon from the Klingons.

Duo flew down the hallways looking for what was making his multilingual owl senses stir. Duo saw what he was looking for at long last. Two scientists in long flowing lab coats were looking at a doorway of metal which was emanating a soft green glow. Duo saw the doorway was of normal human size and decided that this is where the call was originating from. The two scientists turned to face each other and began talking. Duo could not make out what was being said behind the soundproof glass.

Duo noticed a button on the outside of the lab and, thinking it might be to open the door, pressed the button. The button did not open a door. The button instead changed the soft green light into a soft blue light.

Duo still needed to get inside the room.

So Duo shattered the sound proof glass and entered the room where the scientists were. Before asking the scared and surprised scientists any questions Duo was lulled even stronger still to the blue light. The Scientists attempted to stop the small owl from flying through the door frame but Duo paid the humans no mind, their screams meant nothing.

After the small owl had disappeared the scientists pressed the button turning off the time disruption field that Duo had turned on. The glow of the portal turned back to Green.

As Duo flew into the doorway he was greeted with novel scenery. He looked back and the door he had come through was shrinking. Duo decided to press on and find the poor souls who wanted to learn a second language. 

This was the strange place Duo had found himself. A world with no familiar landmarks. From his bird’s eye view he could see it appeared to be a set of islands in the shape of a large humanoid. The temperature was currently quite warm.

Though Duo had flown for the past three days, non stop he flew excitedly towards the nearest buildings he could see. As Duo saw the town from afar his excitement swelled. He could see children and adults, many human-like creatures, all potential new students for his many languages.

Duo perched upon a sign near an elderly man in long robes and attempted to communicate with him.  
“Hello! My name is Duo!” Duo said, trying english first.

The man looked up at the owl but didn’t show any signs of recognizing the language. That was no problem, Duo knew many languages, and if these strange-eared humans knew none of them Duo could simply learn whatever language they did speak and teach them new ones.

“Hallo! Ich heiße Duo!” Duo said in german. 

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“salut! Je m'appelle Duo!” Duo said in French.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.  
“¡Hola! ¡Mi nombre es Duo!” Duo said in Spanish.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Ciao! Il mio nome è Duo!” Duo said in Italian.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Saluton! Mia nomo estas Duo!” Duo said in esperanto.

Much to Duo’s disappointment, as Esperanto was Duo’s favorite language to converse in, there was no response from the man.

“Hallå! Jag heter Duo!” Duo said in swedish.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Olá! Meu nome é Duo!” said Duo in Portugeuese. 

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Zdravstvuyte! Menya zovut Duo!” Said Duo in russian.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Nǐ hǎo! Wǒ jiào Duo!” said Duo in Chinese

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“yeoboseyo! je ileum-eun Duoibnida!” Said Duo in korean.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Kon'nichiwa! Watashinonamaeha de~yuodesu!” Said Duo in Japanese.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Halò! Is e m ’ainm Duo!” Said Duo in Scottish Gaelic.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Halò! Is e m ’ainm Duo!” Said Duo in indonesian.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Halo! Jina langu ni Duo!” said Duo in Swahili.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Buna! Numele meu este Duo!” Said Duo in Romanian.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Witaj! Mam na imię Duo!” Said Duo in Polish.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“'oH pongDaj'e'” Duo said in klingon.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Hola! Em dic Duo!” Said Duo in Catalan.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“marhaba! aismi Duo!” Said Duo in Arabic.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Hei! Nimeni on Duo!” Said Duo in Finnish.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Szia! A nevem Duo!” Said Duo in Hungarian.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Xin chào! Tên tôi là Duo!” Said Duo in Vietnamese

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Hallo! Mijn naam is Duo!” Said Duo in Dutch.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

Duo repeated himself in Guarani, a language for which there is no online translator.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Hallo! Jeg heter Duo!” Said Duo in Norwegian.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Aloha! ʻO Duo koʻu inoa!” Said Duo in Hawaiian.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Salve! Duo nomen!” Said Duo in Latin

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“hailo! mera naam duo hai!” Said in Hindi

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Pryvit! Mene zvutʹ Duo!” Said Duo in Ukranian.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Merhaba! Benim adım Duo!” Said Duo in Turkish.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Kanga yinishyé Duo” Said Duo in Navajo.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Hej! Mit navn er Duo!” Duo said in Danish.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Dia dhuit! Duo is ainm dom!” Duo Said in Irish.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Helo! Fy enw i yw Duo!” Said Duo in Welsh.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Ahoj! Jmenuji se Duo!” Said Duo in Czech.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Geiá sou! To ónomá mou eínai Duo!” Said in Greek.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“Rytsas, issa brōzi iksos duo.” Duo Said in High Valaryian.

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

“שלום! שמי Duo!" Duo said in Hebrew

Still no response that indicated understanding from the man.

Duo was out of languages to try. The people here must have their own language that Duo had to learn. Duo was excited to learn the language of this strange place. The man opened his mouth and began barking.

“BARK BARK WOOF WOOF GRRRRR” the man said ferally.

Duo wasn’t typically one to judge other cultures or languages but the dog onomatopoeia spooked him enough to squawk and leap from his perch. Realizing that was incredibly insensitive of him Duo landed on his perch again, intent to listen to the language of the island.


	2. and Owl was right in the world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hooty builds Duo a house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may seem bad. that's because i couldn't figure out how to make it good and this was giving me massive writers block. here it is. it's a duoty fic what do you really expect?

It had been Days. Days of listening to dog sounds. Trying to make out some language structure, some basic vocabulary, some repeating sounds even. Duo should’ve been good at this. He’d learned languages on his own before, but this was too difficult. There didn’t seem to be any syntax among the snarls, no patterns in the yaps nor commonalities in growls. The only hint Duo had is that all the inhabitants here used English Onomatopoeia. If just figuring out the language was the only difficulty Duo faced, it wouldn’t be a big deal. The weird-eared-humanoids, however, not only spoke like dogs but acted like them too. They had tried to grab at Duo and bared their teeth. Duo had feared for his life. If those humanoids had gotten a hold of him, then he feared that they would attempt to eat him like so many dogs had eaten his brethren.

These barking humanoids, “Bitches” as Duo had begun referring to them as, were even more dangerous than dogs! Just by waving their arms and fingers in the air, they could do some sort of magic! Some shot projectile magic, some created things, others manipulated light. There was a certain beauty to the chaos. But beauty only went so far when life and limb were on the line. 

Duo didn’t enjoy giving up. But he’d be back, Duo made a promise to himself, he’d accomplish his goal of teaching the inhabitants here language and he’d be back to do it. Though Duo would eventually teach many, many people language, he’d never again visit that town. 

As Duo flew into the woods surrounding the town he’d visited, he thought of what he needed to properly instruct the inhabitants of this strange place on the finer points of linguistics. He needed some sort of plan, a schoolhouse or something like that. He also needed protection, perhaps he could construct a shark cage like contraption.

The sun was setting and since Duo could no longer rely on the street lights of the town; he realized he should be wary of danger. If the humanoids that presumably built the town were so wild than he could only imagine what the actual wildlife was like.

Duo’s head swiveled. He thought he heard a twig snap in the forest to his right. It was probably just some wildlife, but in case it was the villagers following him, he sped up his flight. 

Duo needed to find some nesting place or resting place quickly. The sun was setting and Duo was unfamiliar with the local wildlife. He did not want to be in some compromising condition if unfriendlier nocturnal animals came out at night.

Duo picked up a slithering sound on his left now. It seemed as if some gigantic snake was rustling leaves and breaking twigs. Duo did not like snakes.

PLOP!

Duo could tell something had been plunged into a wet spot on the ground. Duo didn’t want to be the next thing dipped in the mud, so he continued to fly through the forest. Hoping to get to some sort of safer spot. 

It could’ve been the wind rushing past Duo’s ears, but he thought he heard something else crashing through the forest. Duo came to a halt and looked around. There didn’t seem to be anything at all. It seemed that Duo was just being paranoid.

Before Duo could fly again, something caught his ears. It could’ve been the wind playing tricks again, but it sounded like words. Two words whispered, slightly menacing, but words were words. Duo began searching for the source of the words, landing on the ground and checking behind trees.

After a few minutes of checking, Duo returned to his search for safety, deciding it had just been a trick of the wind. 

As Duo was flying, trying to shake the thoughts of an articulate companion, a log seemed to slowly cross his path. Finding this curious, Duo stopped in his flight tracks.

Suddenly Duo was staring at an enormous face which had appeared as the end of the log turned.

“HOOT HOOT” The face yelled at Duo.

Duo knew it should scare him, or at least concerned for his safety, but Duo couldn’t help but be excited. Another Owl! This owl was longer and larger than any owl Duo had ever met, but it was an Owl nonetheless! Any owl worth their salt would be willing to learn something new! And this owl had already spoken words which meant it could speak! Not just read like the owls Duo had taught back on earth.

Duo chirped and did a small dance in the air.

Duo’s new friend looked deeply confused.

“HOOT HOOT” The owl tube tried again.

Duo’s response was the same as before. A happy chirp followed by a flip in the air.

Duo could tell the owl tube had been trying to scare or spook Duo in some way and that not being scared had put the owl off of it’s game. Duo’s new owl friend began shrinking away, not wanting to lose a familiar and non-hostile face Duo pursued.

After following the perfectly symmetrical owl face for a few minutes, Duo came upon a small tree that his owl friend seemed to be attached to. 

Duo tried to talk to the owl, but the only thing the tree owl could say was “HOOT” in varying amounts.

*************************************************************************************************************  
It had taken, by Duo’s count, 30 days.

Duo had started by understanding the Owl’s Hoots. It wasn’t easy, but there were patterns. There was syntax and inflection. It was possible.

Then Duo hat taught the tube owl English. It seemed to be some default here on the island, with various creatures speaking in its onomatopoeia. After the basics Duo had hit a stride, teaching was what he did best. 

Now the two owls understood each other.

Now the two owls could really communicate.

Now the two owls could really get to know each other.

Duo had picked up on a few character quirks during their month of lessons, but nothing that he concretely pin down.

“I have run out of things to teach you in the English language,” Duo said to his first student in this world, his voice almost breaking with pride.  
“Normally I would recommend you complete the tree, but,” Duo laughed at his own joke.

The tube owl either didn’t understand the joke or didn’t care. The tube owl stared at Duo for a long time without blinking. After a long pause, the owl spoke. “What is my name, Duo?” he asked.

Duo thought for a moment. “Just Pick one out! Make it your favorite word or something”

The owl thought for a moment. “H-HOOT.” the owl said. “NO” he amended. “HOOTY”

Duo fell in love the way he fell asleep, slowly and then OWL at once. 

Duo nodded, remembering that night in the woods a month ago. “An apt name indeed”

“HOOT HOOT SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW? HOOT HOOT,” Hooty asked the smaller owl.

“Well, I was called to this world for a reason,” Duo explained “to teach its inhabitants language!” He declared.

“You were my first student Hooty, but I must teach all in this world language,” Duo said with purpose.

Hooty’s eyes widened. “HOOT HOOT HAVE YOU TRIED TEACHING OTHERS HERE YET? HOOT HOOT,” Hooty asked.

“When I first came to this world, I tried to teach the humanoid creatures that live here. But they have no language, and they are far too violent for me to teach,” Duo explained.

Hooty looked confused. “HOOT HOOT SO YOU WILL NOT TEACH THEM?” He asked.

Duo shook his tiny owl head. “No, I must teach them, but I will teach the small ones first. They will not be so violent, I believe. Besides, it is easier for the young to learn”

From the look on Hooty’s face, Duo could tell he had an idea. “HOOT HOOT I CAN HELP WITH THAT HOOT HOOT” Hooty said.

Duo looked shyly at Hooty. “Maybe later,” Duo said. “First, I would like you to tell me what is going on with you and the tree”

Hooty looked at Duo. “HOOT HOOT I AM ONE WITH THE TREE I CAN NEVER LEAVE IT, NOR DO I WANT TO HOOT HOOT,” Hooty explained.

Duo nodded. “So what would happen if the tree were cut down?” Duo asked.

“HOOT HOOT NOBODY KNOWS HOOT HOOT,” Hooty said mysteriously.

“Oh” Duo mumbled.

“HOOT HOOT JUST KIDDING I KNOW HOOT HOOT,” Hooty said, laughing at his own joke.

“HOOT HOOT I WOULD JUST BECOME TETHERED TO THE LARGEST PIECE OF THE TREE HOOT HOOT,” Hooty said with a smile on his beak.

Duo nodded and perched in one of Hooty’s branches, resting on his wooden body.

“HOOT HOOT DO YOU WANT TO TEACH THE CHILDREN NOW HOOT HOOT” Hooty asked in that direct way that Duo was becoming quite fond of.

“Not quite yet,” Duo said. “I think we need a dedicated space for learning. A school house of sorts or something.” Duo explained.

“HOOT HOOT I CAN MAKE A HOUSE HOOT HOOT” Hooty volunteered, eager to impress Duo. 

“You can?” Duo asked skeptically 

“HOOT HOOT YES HOOT HOOT,” Hooty said.

Hooty then, in a matter of minutes, on an impulsive morphed his tree into a large spacious home.

Duo looked on in a strange mixture of shock, impressment and horror. 

“HOOT HOOT BUT ONLY ONCE HOOT HOOT,” Hooty said.

“You didn’t have- why did you- thanks Hooty” Duo said slightly flustered at the strange act.

‘HOOT HOOT I’D DO ANYTHING FOR YOU HOOT HOOT’ Hooty almost said. Hooty knew better than to go that overboard though. Hooty may not have had another soul, much less an owl, to connect with in millennia, but he could remember a couple of social rules. 

Duo looked at Hooty with a new appreciation, as if the tube owl was an obscure and beautiful painting, with each new pass getting more and more intriguing. 

Duo yawned, after a month and change of hard work, adapting to an additional dimension and teaching an owl how to talk. Duo was feeling a bit exhausted. Duo didn’t get exhausted, typically. His day to day back on earth comprised emails and phone notifications and in person appearances, it was his passion to teach but it could also be a burden. Duo looked at the comfy cottage that Hooty had just performed a once in a lifetime trick to create and smiled. Well, as much as an owl could smile.

“Could I stay the night? In your” Duo coughed up a Pellet because he was nervous. “House?” Duo asked.

“HOOT HOOT OF COURSE YOU CAN! HOOT HOOT” Hooty said enthusiastically. If eras of isolation had taught him anything, it was to not hide emotions and cherish the connections that stumbled on your stump. And not to look a gift owl in the beak. Even if it was a super cute beak. 

Duo chirped in thanks and flew to the bottom of the new house. Hooty swung his door open, letting the small owl inside. Duo couldn’t help but explore. He enjoyed the various perches and rooms. After having his fill of exploration, Duo settled on a perch near the front of the house only to discover a coiled up Hooty on the floor.

After some deliberation, Duo perched on top of the long owl. 

“HOOOOT” came the long content reply from the bigger owl.

After hearing the permission, Duo made himself comfortable on tapeworm shaped owl.

The two remained through the night like that. Neither of them needed to sleep, but both slept regardless. The owls nested together, as comfortable as either of them remembered. There was an understanding between the two owls. That owls in this world seemed to be a rare breed. That birds of a feather should probably flock together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is officially on hiatus. i have two more chapters outlined but i'm not going to write them until someone dethrones meas duoty king. this means someone writes a duoty fic longer than this one. i'm pretty sure douty is a dead meme so that's not likely.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this very serious fanfiction concerning two owls that are in my top ten of all time favorite fictional owls.other owls on this list include Rowlet. Soren. etc. Please keep all feedback to constructive criticism only (this is a joke. this is a joke of a fic and i would appreciate joke comments). Having written the longest Duoty fic currently on AO3 (that i can find) I declare myself the king of Duoty. (don't worry about the 39k word fic that was posted a while back, that was just spam).
> 
> I would love to know what you did and did not like about this very serious fanfiction that i have spent way to long on. Please leave a comment.


End file.
